FACT: Sitting at a computer for long is detrimental to your health. Some are even saying computing is the new smoking. Yet day in and day outwe go about our work and play, merrily hurting our bodies! We are all guilty.

Go back almost 100 years. Industrial revolution is in full swing and it’s the start of mass production, and factories are popping up all over the place. No one is really thinking health or safety gear. That’s sill a few years on, and injuries and fatalities are yesterday’s news.

Fifty years on and some start waking up to and suggesting safety gear in the workplace. Ten years later it’s advisable – and twenty years later, you don’t use safety glasses, earplugs and gloves, not only will you be fired and your boss scathed, more than likely your medical insurance will hang you out to dry.

Picture the motorcar industry. Emerged somewhere around the same time as mass production. First priority to get from A to B under man made power. Then came performance; how quick, how much power, the handling. Then looks became a major player. The car was a status symbol. An expression of your character, an extension of you and what you aspire to.

Then with the oil price and traffic, focus shifted to economy and functionality, and only then to ergonomics which has played a major role since.

Computers are more or less like the car game early on. The first priorities were processing power, space, RAM, resolution. The performance of the hardware was on a trajectory to the skies, and software wasn’t that far behind – or in front. And meanwhile connectivity was busy creating a whole new world and set of rules. And today we can do virtually anything from anywhere. …But still nine out of ten, from a desk and chair kind of set-up. We are where cars were before ergonomics became a player.

But in the connected world, there are other drivers. We spend more time with our computers than with our family. We even spend time with our families on our computers, all the while doing our own bodies, the dirty.

So will there ever come a time where health insurance will start casting a startled eye around the white collar world? When it’s seen that white collar elite are prone to skeletal strain and trauma, muscle fatigue and organ failure? Will there come a day that these players move to regulate: computer environments in the workplace should be ergonomic and designed around the health and well-being of the worker? And if a company does not have…

And will the day ever come when an individual has to submit his/her computer environment (just like smoking) to his or her health insurance broker?

Sci-Ryder was designed to address these paradigms, especially the health consideration. It is no longer only about engagement. It is about the overall experience of engagement. We believe when one is no longer aware of the body, total immersion takes place. The user and the virtual world become one, be that work or play, with less strain, less fatigue and infinitely more productivity and pleasure.

Fortnite was introduced at the Spike Video Game Awards in 2011 held at the Sony Pictures Studios in California. Cliff Bleszinski, former director of Epic Games got up on stage and presented a trailer for his brand new game. Epic Games had only worked on this game for around three weeks and was required to be a creative project without any restrictions. Cliff went in with the goal of the game to be an influential alternative to Gears of War, with an inviting and colourful society that was a great difference to his foregoing game. Time had passed and no one heard about the game until 2012 when Cliff and Epic Games agreed that Fortnite would be a computer game developed using the Unreal 4 engine. But, this was a declaration that the developers of the game regretted when they voiced they could only ponder of several formats a while later.

The creation of Fortnite was scattered among a number of studios. The gaming industry started to move towards a more corporate model, where companies that funded the games would have more of an advantageous source of income in the form of in-game purchases. Tencent Holdings had bought shares in Epic Games, that resulted in a split with a few big names in the company.

Fortnite was a completely playable game in 2014, where the groundwork was there, but it would take a few more years till the game saw the light of day. Epic Games introduced beta tests to ensure the idea created with Tencent worked, and it’s worth stating that it was created the same time as Paragon was announced. Epic Games decided to focus on the most recent though, and Fortnite was on hold again.

In the early months of 2017, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was released. A group of players get dropped onto an island with the goal to get out alive. This game was definitely not the first game in this genre but was the game that made it big.

It became great news when Epic Games decided to move their genre from survival to the last man standing kind of game. CEO of Bluehole, Changhan Kim, was extremely concerned at how Fortnite resembled their game, but, it wasn’t only about the genre. This had more to do with Bluehole utilising Epic Game’s Unreal 4 engine their game, resulting in large amounts of money paid to them each month. During this time, there was an open warning of lawsuits from Bluehole, but nothing ever came of it. Today, it appears to have cooled down between the developers, but we don’t know for sure.

It’s simple to name Fortnite opportunistic given that the game follows on the wave popularised by PUBG. One must also consider that the whole project started as a creative playhouse, where the intention was to test brand new ideas, and we can count on seeing more games like this in the future.

Whether you are a Fortnite fan, or an admirer of any other game, treat yourself to an adjustable gaming chair from Sci-Ryder. Visit our website for more information today!

Every serious gamer can tell you of the appreciation they have for an experience that arrests their senses, keeps them enraptured and gives them a significant escape from reality. Immersive gaming is achievable, though it often costs a pretty penny, but there is more than one way to skin a cat, and not all of the roads to immersive gaming are paved with gold and diminished salaries. Still, if you are a gamer and are looking for an extra way to put all five senses into your hardware, here are some excellent ways to up the immersion in your gaming room.

AR and VR
Augmented reality and virtual reality are still budding as far as tech goes, but they have a lot to offer gamers in terms of immersion. VR, in particular is possibly the most immersive tech on the market, especially when using newer, higher-definition platforms like those available for high-end gaming machines. They both put you and your movements inside of the game; and once you get over the initial motion sickness, they provide a completely new way to game that captures and holds your attention and senses.

Big Screen; Lights Off
It’s not exactly a life-hack, but it won’t cost you any money. These days, most graphics cards come with DVI or HDMI inputs, which means that they can be paired easily with HD TVs. Getting up close and creating a gaming environment where there is nothing but you and an HD screen can do wonders to create an immersive environment, especially once you hit the lights. A word of caution though; frequent breaks should be taken when doing this to protect your eye-site and posture.

Haptic Gaming Vests
Haptic gaming vests are not exactly cheap, but as a brand new technology you can expect that. They do bring your sense of touch into the gaming world in a way that no other device can. While wearing the vest, any damage received by the player will be felt (to some extent) through vibrations and shocks in the vest, which is one way to motivate you not to lose that round of death-match.

Turning off your Body
Seating, comfort and posture play a huge role in immersive gaming. If you are uncomfortable, there is just no way you will be able to lose yourself to the game; you will be all too worried about a stiff neck and back or a distracting seating position. For a truly amazing immersive gaming experience, consider getting yourself a Sci-Ryder chair that is designed for extreme comfort when playing.

The digital age has brought about a reawakening of the gaming scene, and South Africa’s eventual introduction of an internet infrastructure that can allow users to take advantage of the full-functionality of online gaming is helping the trend to grow all the more steadily. While there has, for a long time, been a substantial interest in online gaming in our country, it has only really bloomed into popularity since games like Counterstrike GO, Overwatch, PUBG and Fortnight hit the market. Though while online gaming (and even the practice as a profession) is growing steadily in our country, there are a number of things that we will need before we can seriously start competing in an international e-sports community.Reliable Internet Services
It’s no secret that South Africa is a little behind most of the rest of the world when it comes to internet service providers. Exceptionally high tariffs, a complete lack in spread of infrastructure and sub-standard connection speeds play a major challenge for many households in South Africa. For as long as people need tp struggle to connect to the internet, there will be no way that they can play with consistency when engaging with the online community. This means that, for the most part, gamers’ skills are going underdeveloped in comparison to the rest of the world, and our e-sports scene is suffering as a result.Our Own Game Servers
It would be really nice to be able to compete with the rest of the world on equal footing, but many games out there are missing South African servers, which makes it all but impossible to compete against our neighbours. Consider playing a fast paced shooter against an opponent that can see 200 milliseconds into the future since that’s the standard latency experienced by most South African gamers playing on US and UK servers. With a disadvantage like this, there is no way that we can take on people who only have a 5 millisecond lag; the advantage is just too great.Sponsors and Equipment
The last thing that needs to exist to create a better, more energetic and interested online gaming and e-sports community in our country is for it to be attractive and worthwhile for the players. South Korean professional gamers make a ton of money (especially the victors), enjoy national fame and get sponsored by companies left, right and centre. This ensures that the community grows through the development of skilled, highly practiced gamers who know that they can make a successful career out of it.
Contact Sci-Ryder to Learn More
Sci-Ryder takes computing and gaming seriously, which is why we design and manufacture gaming chairs that take comfort and functionality to an entirely new level. To find out more about what we have on offer, contact one of our representatives or visit our website to learn more.

Testing, complicated, and ambitious, video games have come a lengthy way since the simple arcade games- and evidence is growing that the advantages of playing games go beyond improved hand-eye coordination and amusement. Let’s have a look at some ways video gaming is programming better people.

Assists People Overcome Dyslexia

Research has pointed to attention difficulties as being a main part of dyslexia. Studies have shown that dyslexics enhanced reading comprehension following action packed gaming sessions. Researchers believe the reason is that the gaming is constantly changing environments that request intense attention.

Improves your Vision

Your parents always used to say, “Don’t sit too close to the TV”. But, scientists are learning that games in moderation may improve and not strain your vision. Studies have shown that ten weeks of gaming was related with a higher ability to detect different shades of grey. Another study had members play games using their “lazy” eye, with the good eye hidden. These members showed remarkable improvement in the affected eye.

Making Kids Physical

While most games promote whole-body interaction, those requiring a controller could lead to physical activity. Sporting games involving tennis, basketball, or even skateboarding can result in practicing those skills outdoors.

Become Interested in History

Many video games use genuine historical events to drive stories and scenarios. These places and characters may spark a player’s interest in finding out more about the culture they engaging in.

Possible Career Boost

As most genres of games encourage leadership characteristics, researchers have noted that gamers may display a connecting motivation in their real-world goals.

Make Social Connections

Players are mostly condemned as being very insulated, but it is the opposite that is actually accurate. The climb of multi-player and online experiences has offered a new form of socialising, giving players the opportunity to work together and solve problems as a team. Studies have shown that video games may also be the reason for people to gather in person.

If you are an involved video gamer and would like to sit in comfort, visit Sci-Ryder for the best gaming chairs in South Africa! Enquire online for a quotation.

So something exciting happened! Comic Con has announced that they will be hosting an event here in South Africa in September this year! Of course we know that this will go deeper than cosplays and graphic novels, and that does not dampen the excitement of this announcement. This also stimulates our imagination for the possibilities for the gaming community. Although I’m not telling you anything that you don not already know. I mean this news has been everywhere and everyone is excited!

What to Expect

So we haven’t really had one of these things before, so do we really know what to expect? Sure we have lots of cosplay gatherings, and gaming conventions, but none of them have the prestige that Comic Con has. For most of our lives we have heard of this large gathering of fiction and fantasy, from our favourite television shows and from so many blogs and Instagram posts. But what does this mean, well it means that there will be guest appearances from some of our favourite shows, such as The Big Bang Theory and game of Thrones. This will also include cosplayers, stalls, and a bit of everything for everyone!

Comic Con and Games

Comic Con is a sceptical that people wait for each year, and each year it is something so wonderful to experience. When one thinks of Comic Con they do not think of it as a gamer’s paradise, like they do when they think of Rage. But this does not need to be the case, at all. Even though we do not know what to expect, we do know that there will be catering to gamers, comic lovers, and fantasy and science fiction fans. We also know that this will be something that will be uniquely South African.

Sci-Ryder

There is no need to wait until Comic Con to game in style, or experience gaming like you never have before! Sci-Ryder has the best gaming chairs that allow you to become fully engorged in the gaming experience, as well as experiencing great comfort. And maybe we could even make an appearance at Comic Con, you never know.

So as a few of you know, and cannot wait for, Dark Souls Remastered is set to release on the 25th of May this year. And we are definitely excited, And the release date being a bit further away means that we can save up in order to purchase the game as well as the necessary refreshments in order to stay all cooped up for a week or so in order to be locked away for uninterrupted play. And thankfully the game is available for pre-order, so there will be no need to avoid any disappointment.

What We Know

Well we know that this is just a remastering of the first Dark Souls that came out in 2011 which has been followed by two sequel games, Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III. However, this revamp does come with some great benefits, such as new and improved graphics, and who does not love playing a game with the best graphics possible? No one! Although the improvements won’t be too much, but they are most definitely there! A couple of the features have been kept from us, however, that does not mean that they put one or two surprises in for us.

The Game is in Good Hands

Dark Souls Remastered is being done by QLOC. And with their impressive record of amazing games, this leaves a bit of relief as know we know that this game will more than likely not disappoint us, and we will enjoy hours completing it, as we have with their other games such as: Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PC, Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City PC, Dustforce PlayStation 3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, and Tales of Zestiria Playstation 4, PC. This might not be a new game; however, it can bring a new experience to a beloved game.

Sci-Ryder

Sci-Ryder has the best chairs that are perfect for gaming, as well as anyone in the IT profession. Enjoy playing your new games , as well as play your favourite games the way that they are intended to be played, in comfort, as well as engulfed in the experience as if you were there. Get your chair for your office, or before the release of any of your game favourites. You won’t be sorry.

I find this article a little difficult to approach simply because I am a fairly avid gamer, and any information that tells me I should be doing it less, is generally something I am reluctant to listen to. Gaming has been around for a while, progressing from video games to consoles, as well as on our laptops and PCs. Though, as far as harmless activities go, there are actually some dangers associated with gaming which are often overlooked. Which is unfortunate, since they can be avoided without cutting down on your gaming hours, by simply setting up the right environment to play in. So, to help you avoid the slow ravages of gaming, here are some tips to avoid its most commonly felt side-effects.

Permanent Spine Damage at 0Km Per Hour

Have you ever taken notice of the shapes your body takes during a gaming session? If not, do yourself a favour and pay attention to your posture. Your mouse arm starts to elevate at the shoulder, you start to sit askew with your one leg crossed over the other while your back and neck arch to form a question mark and before you know it, you are plagued with headaches, muscle pains and a stiff neck. Should this continue for extended periods, you actually run the risk of causing permanent spine damage. So be sure to keep both feet flat on the floor, your back as straight and supported as possible, and ensure that your screen is high up enough that you don’t need to tilt your head down to use it.

Torture on your Eyes

My mother used to tell me that too many games would give me square eyes. And while my extensive time at the keyboard has left the shape of my eyes in-tact, excessive sessions do leave me with severe eye-strain and often even migraines. Be sure to take frequent breaks and use that time to look at something far off. Make sure that there is no glare on your screen and that you wear the appropriate eye-wear where it is needed, and your eyes will be able to track those fast digital movements without any hassle.

Hands, Limbs and Ligaments

Repetitive strain injury is a condition where the joints in your hands and arms begin to ache as a result of performing the same actions over and over (such as clicking the mouse or smashing the spacebar). This condition is so common amongst gamers that it is also known as Nintendonitis. When playing, take plenty of breaks and ensure that your desk or playing spot is comfortable. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is also common amongst gamers, so take time to stretch those digits if you don’t want them seizing up.

Personal Hygiene

It is also worth mentioning that the addictive nature of gaming has a tendency to cause people to neglect important personal chores. Severe cases even have players going for days without eating or drinking properly, and there have even been recorded cases of deaths as a result of this. Gaming perpetually for the rest of your life may seem like a great way to live, but if you don’t take breaks that force you to look after your personal needs, you may find a harrowing dip in the quality of your life.

Contact Sci-Ryder for Details

One of the best ways to ensure that you stay clear of these side-effects of hard-core gaming (without cutting down on your fun hours) is to invest in a gaming station that is designed to keep your body comfortable and correctly supported during your playtime. For more details on obtaining a gaming chare that is recommended by chiropractors, contact a representative from Sci-Ryder today, or visit our website for details.

Spend most of your day sitting at your desk? That’s what we thought! Below are a few ways that sitting for long periods of time destroys your health.Poor Posture
Not only do you sit all day, but most people hunch over their desks twisted in a position that is not doing any good to their body. Sore neck and backaches sound familiar? Some simple adjustments can see to it that when you are sitting, you are doing it right.
Your back should be straight and the lower part of your back must be supported by your chair. Your laptop should be at eye level in order to prevent slouching.Prone to Injury
Sitting all day leads to gluteal muscles deactivating. The less active your glutes are, the tighter your hamstrings, quads and hips become and you begin to feel more pain in the lower back, neck and shoulders.Risk of Disease
Studies have proved that a desk-bound lifestyle may increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. The goal should be to increase movement each day and not just sit in the office.Defeats your Workout
A recent study found that extended sitting can take away benefits from a workout done that day. For example, if you jump on the treadmill for an hour, and then sit for around nine hours at the office – you are losing 80% of the health benefits of your workout.Plenty of Sitting leads to even more Sitting!
Work is mentally exhausting, mainly if you don’t take time to stand up and move. We are aware that there are a few stressful days at the office where we would just want to get home, lay on the couch and watch a movie. When this thought enters your mind, remind yourself to go for a walk and move around.Burn Fewer Calories
When sitting, you burn 30% fewer calories than when you are standing. Do you find yourself sitting at your desk snacking while you work? Burning fewer calories while sitting and snacking on a high-calorie snack do not go together.

Sci-Ryder; a solution for your backache!
Here at Sci-Ryder, you don’t have to worry about the pain in your neck. These chiropractor-approved chairs are suitable for the office and gaming with a wide range of features that benefit your health. Visit our website for more information today!

The digitally connected spend millions each year on insurance and benefit schemes in the quest for the health they aspire to – but in almost the same breath, they risk daily pain and potential injury on their bodies – by hours hunching over their keyboards.

One thing is sure, time spent at computers is only going to increase. So does this mean we are all destined for cranky spines, back and headaches?

One does not need to dig very deep to expose the mountains of literature warning of the danger of extended computer use. At the core of the problem is the common seating position when getting down to work or play. Desk and office chairs generally are not conducive to skeletal support and physical wellbeing. Though they might be comfortable when leaning back, generally users sit forward to engage, thereby exposing their bodies to a myriad of evils. Some of these evils might recede when using laptops, but certainly do not disappear.

When it comes to ardent users such as gamers, home set-ups often upstage work rigs. Their personal gear is faster, bigger, better. But though many might opt for a lounger, easy-chair or even beanie – which certainly can make the experience more comfortable, they most times do leave room for more ergonomic solutions.

But the greatest danger lurks in many workplaces. Granted, it would be a little extreme to have workers lounging around in armchairs or beanies with their computers in clusters like hi-tech hippie camps – besides which it would be highly space inefficient. So unfortunately, in spite of best intentions, until now, companies had very few options open to them to alleviate the negative impact of long hours at a computer.

Fact: Many, many people spend long hours at computers, from editors to animators, from designers to architects, from accountants to call centres. And very many people are starting to feel that pain in the neck…

As they say, prevention is most times better than cure. It therefore seems logical to develop more comfortable, more ergonomic chairs and modi of engagement than carry on as usual and pay the consequences in health, wellbeing, and in sheckles.

Meet Sci-Ryder, recently revealed to the world right here in South Africa at rAge Gaming Expo 2014.

Sci-Ryder is a 100% SA home grown concept.

Most significant is the Sci-Ryder’s custom designed inclined seat which provides cushioned but sturdy support of the whole torso, even weight distribution down the whole spine, and extra support of the lumber area.

Screens are suspended at eye-level and can easily be moved further or closer to taste. Keypad or console controller is supported on an adjustable control platform that may be moved closer or further or inclined to meet exact desired position or comfort. With footrests, armrests and headrests all adjustable to taste, Sci-Ryder offers an incomparable experience.

Stylish lines and compact footprint (0.7m x 1.7m) make Sci-Ryder perfect for both professional and home use.

Sci-Ryder will be offered through retail at selected outlets from January 2015, but due to popular demand and to take up where rAge left off, we are running a great pre-launch Christmas promotion offering insane discounts while stocks last. For more information, visit us at www.facebook.com/SciRyder or www.sci-ryder.com.